India do go into the second Test versus Australia at the new Optus Stadium in Perth with a 1-0 lead, but they have to deal with blows as well in the form of injuries to Rohit Sharma and Ravichandran Ashwin that rule both players out of the game.
“R Ashwin has a left-sided abdominal strain. He is receiving treatment at the moment…
“Rohit Sharma jarred his lower back while fielding in the first Test at Adelaide. He is undergoing treatment… The team management is closely monitoring these players and a call on their availability for the third Test will be taken at an appropriate time,” said a BCCI release on Thursday.
The Indian team management named a 13-member squad for the second Test, which includes the likes of Hanuma Vihari, and pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav. Ravindra Jadeja’s name too features on the list, but given the grassy pitch on offer at the venue that’s set to host its maiden Test match, the all-rounder might have to sit out.
A toss-up between Bhuvneshwar and Umesh is the likely thing to happen when it comes to filling Ashwin’s spot, while Vihari, impressive in the final Test against England at The Oval, looks the favourite to take Rohit’s place.
Australia, on the other hand, named an unchanged XI for the Test, with the out-of-form Aaron Finch set to retain his place at the top of the order. “Finch might not have played well in the UAE, but he is just one score away like anyone else to get more self-belief at the Test level that he already has at T20 or ODI level.
“He is no different than any other player and you are not going to succeed unless you back your strengths,” captain Tim Paine said.
Most of the talking, though, remains centred on the pitch with curator Brett Sipthorpe promising it will be a fast and bouncy one. On the eve of the Test, Sipthorpe unveiled a bright green pitch that is expected to provide Test cricket’s much-coveted balance between bat and ball.
“We’ve just been told make it fast, make it bouncy if you can and run with it,” Sipthorpe was quoted as saying by the Cricket Australia website. “We’re just trying to produce the bounciest pitch we can.”
No matter how fast and bouncy the wicket is, it won’t send chills down Indians’ spines or give them jitters as Virat Kohli and Co. have a pretty potent pace attack at their disposal. Even in the series losses in South Africa and England, as well as in Adelaide, the pacers did carry out their responsibilities. So, on a green wicket, the likes of Ishant Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami can jolly well be as useful as Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.
“We get more excited than nervous looking at lively pitches now,” skipper Kohli said.
In the inconsequential third and final Test against South Africa in Johannesburg on a brutish pitch earlier this year, India had gone in with an all-pace attack with Hardik Pandya as the all-rounder. Considering the nature of the Perth wicket, it will be only be surprising if India don’t field at least four pacers.
On Thursday, the three Indian pacers who played in Adelaide — Ishant, Bumrah and Shami — didn’t bowl at all. They did pad up and have a hit at nets. Going back to the bounce on the pitch, Australia might fancy Nathan Lyon to make good use of it.
Last month Western Australia hosted New South Wales for a Sheffield Shield game at this new stadium as a dry run for its maiden Test. Out of the 40 wickets to fall in that four-day game, eight went to Lyon, who took seven for 120 in two innings with left-arm spinner Ashton Agar picking the one wicket for 69 runs in two innings.
Match starts: 7.50 am (IST)
